Be a Better Communicator: Tools and Tips to help Natura 2000 Managers

Efficient Manager for Efficient Natura 2000

Partners

Why this toolkit?

The management of Europe’s habitats, species and landscapes is often complex and needs many skills to deliver successfully. People from many different walks of life are involved, interested and affected by how Natura 2000 sites are managed, so effective communication between them is vital.

It may come as no surprise that a large number of Natura 2000 problems occur as a result of poor communications. Effective communication then is needed by Natura 2000 managers to develop good relations, explain and win support for the work done to take care of our shared natural heritage. Effective communication is an essential component of professional success and to that end, this toolkit and the accompanying manual, training course, and other materials have been created to inspire, assist and support all involved in Natura 2000 management.

The toolkit is necessarily constrained by available space, but we hope you find some good tools and tips to inspire your communications.

This toolkit, developed by EUROPARC Federation, aims to support, assist and inspire people in their communication of Natura 2000 areas. Based on the Manual for Effective Communication, it contains complementary information, tools and best practices, and provides new insights for improving Natura 2000 manager’s skills. It includes:

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - A broader view about Natura 2000, best practices on management and communication for Natura 2000 areas and other official publications

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - All the material arising from the project: including the powerpoints presented at the training sessions, the Manual for Effective Communication, produced with the contents from the trainings, and a compendium of exercises and worksheets to be used for facilitating communication training sessions

This toolkit is especially addressed to Managers of Natura 2000 areas, nonetheless, it is a useful tool for broader audiences which may include:

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - Technicians working on Natura 2000 or other protected areas – at communication, education or visitor departments; administrative, secretariat, biologists, forestry managers, or all other technicians that have regular contact with the public

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - Professionals from all categories aiming to improve their own communication skills

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - Professionals who want to organize a workshop or facilitate other activities with the public

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - Communication students or young professionals aiming to work in the nature conservation field

The Manual for Effective Communication – Introductory level , is an important tool for managers to address the main challenges on communicating about Natura 2000 areas. After an introduction about Natura 2000, it addresses core areas of communication: strategy and planning, personal communication skills, written communication skills, effective communication, talking to the media, online communication channels. It also includes a section of exercises for you to apply your knowledge or to use in training sessions with your collaborators and colleagues .

The Manual is the backbone of this toolkit, therefore you will find in each section complementary information mirroring the contents in the Manual. You can either download the complete file (in English) or select the chapters you need in the sections of this toolkit.

The Manual was prepared by Janice Burley, Down 2 Earth Training & Facilitation Link and the EUROPARC Federation, which follows the programme and contents of the training programmes delivered.

Getting started with communications

What is Natura 2000?

Natura 2000 is the centrepiece of EU nature & biodiversity policy. It is an EU-wide network of nature protection areas established under the 1992 Habitats Directive. The aim of the network is to assure the long-term survival of Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. It is comprised of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated by Member States under the Habitats Directive, and also incorporates Special Protection Areas (SPAs) which are designated under the 1979 Birds Directive. The establishment of this network of protected areas also fulfils a Community obligation under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Currently around 18% of land in the EU countries (787.767 km² in 2013) is protected as part of the Natura 2000 network; these are on both publically managed and privately owned land. 251.564 km²had been designated as Natura 2000 in the marine environment in 2013.

A publication that adresses the importance of communicating Natura 2000 and provides interesting good cases LIFE-Nature: communicating with stakeholders and the general public - Best practice examples for Natura 2000 (2004).

Icebreakers

Are you leading a presentation or a workshop? So you should start off on your right foot! Breaking the ice with simple games and practical activities will wake up your attendees and promote good exchange between them. Some good tips and exercises can be found in these documents. (40_icebreakers_for_small_groups.pdf -> ) (100energisers.pdf -> ) (More icebreakers.pdf-> )

Communications Strategy

How can you communicate effectively without a proper strategy? Having a communication strategy is crucial to any kind of project. Here is some good advice that will help to make your Natura 2000 site more visible to the general public.

An effective guide dealing with the psychology of climate change communication prepared by the CRED (Centre for Research on Environmental Decisions).

A guide on Communicating Sustainability – How to produce effective public campaigns, By the United Nations Environmental Program and Futerra.

Internal Communication

Internal communication encompasses all the communications within an organization or a project. It includes all the official communications (memos, guidelines, policies and procedures) and the unofficial communications (share of ideas and opinions, development of relationships). Internal communication is essential to guarantee consistent and coherent communications amongst all people involved in the management of the Natura 2000 site.

An interesting document which provides very practical suggestions to help you decide how best to communicate with staff and stakeholders in different situations.

Developing your personal communication skills

As a Natura 2000 manager, you should be able to deliver your message effectively, in a positive and inspiring tone. It is not only about what you say, but about how you say it. In this chapter, you will learn what interpersonal communication is, and 5 things you can easily improve. Besides interacting face to face, a Natura 2000 manager needs to have excellent written skills.

Interpersonal communication

Interacting with people is fundamental to all Natura 2000 management. Whether communicating with a staff member, volunteer, politician, funder, local community group, school children or an angry stakeholder, how the Natura 2000 manager presents himself will underpin the effectiveness of all communications.
Identifying strengths and weaknesses in personal communication skills, being honest in the need to learn some new techniques and gain some fresh insights will enable the Natura 2000 manager to develop positive and constructive relationships. In the process, he will reduce conflicts and gain new supporters.

Things you can improve

These days, technology is making everything easier. Unfortunately, easier doesn’t always mean better, and in the case of communication, the same ease that allows you to bridge long distances in a matter of seconds may also be crippling your ability to communicate well when it matters the most. Communication is especially important, and ineffective communication can make or break your success. Here are five things you can do to improve your personal communication skills.

The Importance of Authentic Communication
Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, talks about the importance of communication in scaling one's own career and business relationships. She recommends that rather than stating opinions as facts, managers state beliefs and the facts that support it, and encourage others to do the same, as a tool to encourage better information sharing. She also encourages everyone to take full responsibility for the actions, and to make them personal, stating that this ownership is a crucial building block at all stages of one's career.
Link

Guidelines for Effective Interpersonal Communication
Good techniques that could help you improve interactions.

How to open and close presentations?
In this clip Mark Powell provides best practice tips for opening and closing presentations.
Link

Following the Principles
This extensive guide will introduce you in the verbal and non-verbal communication in business contexts.
And find out some examples of verbal communication in the workplace.

Personal space
How close should you be to a person? How will he feel? Everything you need to know about personal space.

Gestures
Be aware of your interlocutor’s gestures, they can tell you much more than words, and learn some common gestures around the world.
Take also a look on an article by the Telegraph, explaining the rude hand gestures of the world, quite important when you are dealing with foreign cultures. Link

TED talk about body language
Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident, can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success. Link

Body Language
A fascinating set of 3 articles written by experts on analysing body language, posted at the website Psychology Today, and 10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for you to use in public presentations, sharpen your negotiations skills and understanding your team (posted at CommPro.biz.)

Learn how to become an active listener and improve your relation with your interlocutor, with this selection of 3 great articles from ArticlesBase.com, MindTools.com and SkillsyouNeed.com.
See also a document about active listening from the Utah State University.
Get inspired by Julian Treasure with his Ted Talk about 5 ways to listen better.
Link

“Being assertive means being confident enough to clearly and effectively express your feelings and opinions, while still valuing those of others. It’s important because it impacts directly on the way that you communicate and interact with other people and helps build your self-esteem”at Bupa.co.uk

Read more about how to be assertiveness, learn how to improve your self-confidence, and the difference between being assertive and aggressive, with 3 useful articles from BUPA.co.uk; businessballs.com and SkillsYouNeed.com

Giving and Receiving Feedback: A Guide to the Use of Peers in Self-AssessmentEveryone has the capacity for giving useful feedback and some people use it to more effect than others. The skills of giving and receiving feedback can be developed if attention is given to some of the attributes of worthwhile feedback and how it can be given in ways which enhance its contribution to learning.

LearningUse the guide from the Oxrford University
and take a look on the web articles published at SkillsYouNeed.com and the Guardian – 12 ways to Improve how you conduct audience and visitor feedback.

Performance appraisals360 degree appraisals involve the appraisee receiving feedback from people (named or anonymous) whose views are considered helpful and relevant (for example, manager, colleagues, clients, and their subordinates).
Link

Training and learning evaluation, feedback forms, action plans and follow-upLooking at reviewing and evaluation on a broader level.
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A short video which talks you through a number of reviewing techniques.
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Written communication skills

When considering communication, a Natura 2000 manager may concentrate on the spoken and personal communication, but in fact writing, and writing well to express the vision and goals of the Natura 2000 site, are equally important. Badly worded communication, overly technical language and poorly expressed writing can undermine all good verbal communications. Natura 2000 managers need not be poets or prize winning authors, an understanding of the differing written material needed and how to improve is a much important skill.

What is the difference between technical writing and creative writing? How can you improve your skills? Start by looking at the extract “Written Communication Skills” from the manual "Effective Communication" and test your skills with a selection of exercises.
Then, learn how important writing skills are, how to get your written message across clearly and find practical information to start improving, in this selection of web articles from MindTools.com, SkillsYouNeed.com and IdeaFit.
If you feel that more information is needed, check the “Effective Written Communication” online training course created by an English teacher
Link
and get inspired by the video tutorial Business Writing Skills by MindTools.com. Link

Journalists frequently lack time to read all the information they receive daily, therefore it is crucial that you know out to highlight your message and provide them just the information they need. After reading this selection of web articles about “How to write an effective press release” you will be prepared to spread your latest news!

Feedback is the verbal and non-verbal response from an audience which help the speaker modify and regulate what he is saying. The article contains some key points about the different types of feedback that you might receive.
Link

Putting communication skills into practice

There is always a sender and receiver in any interaction, these roles will be simultaneous and changing. Natura 2000 managers must communicate with differing individual and groups with many different interest, views and opinions. This can sometimes lead to difficulties and conflicts. Appreciating and understating how these interactions work will help the Natura 2000 manager modify and manage such situations. Take also a look on the Chapter regarding effective communication, extracted from the Manual Effective Communication for Managers.

Communicating with groups

As a Natura 2000 site manager you have to deal with a different range of stakeholders, and be always able to address their problems. This is a useful document about the importance of conflict resolution in managing Natura 2000 sites.

Check also a review of 24 best practices case studies on Dealing with Conflicts in the Implementation and Management of the Natura 2000 network and a guide for conflict management and participatory approaches in Natura 2000.

Language barriers are a common challenge in an international setting and a two-way process. What native speakers often don’t realise is that frequently it is not the other person’s accent, but their own way of speaking that creates the greatest barrier to effective communication. The strategies in this document ensure you’re not putting up your own roadblocks to effective international communication.

Making sense of sustainable lifestyles and broadcasting wisely. This is an example by the UN Sustainable Lifestyles Taskforce Link: a report downloaded 60,000 times in the first month after launch, and an online movie viewed over 21,000 times.

Presentation skills

Get inspired by this video on how to deliver polished presentations Steve Jobs style
Link
From a BBC past series for finding the best young public speaker, find different aspects of public speaking handed by experts.
Link

Negotiation Skills

One important thing to keep in mind is that negotiation is a process, and it is important to communicate throughout this process. Listen and ask questions. The key to a win-win negotiation is to focus not only on content, but also on the relationship between the parties. Check this web article about daily tools for negotiation.

A complete guide on Negotiations and Resolving Conflicts, prepared by a Professor from the College of Business Administration, Northeastern University.

Crisis communication

The basic steps of effective crisis communications are not difficult, but they require advance work in order to minimize damage. Read and implement these 10 steps of crisis communications, the first seven of which can and should be undertaken before any crisis occurs.

Disseminating your information

For a Natura 2000 manager, there are many challenges for broadcasting your messages and developing the correct communication channels to your target audiences. In this section, you will find useful information on how to talk with the media, how to use social media to engage new audiences and how to make information accessible for the visitors of your Natura 2000 areas.
Learn how to create a campaign and engaging stories for your audiences. Meetings and workshops are also important events for spreading specific information to internal and external publics, therefore you will learn some of the best facilitation techniques and tips.

Talking to the media

To first start your learning process on how to interact with the media, take a look on the Talking to the media chapter, extracted from the manual Effective Communication for Managers. This contains a brief overview of the main issues on writing and contacting journalists, and a selection of good examples and exercises.
Check also the web article about working with the media, with good insights and tips.

Online communication tools

Love it or loathe it, social media is here to stay and should form an essential component of any Natura 2000 site communication strategy. Despite the apparent simplicity and accessibility of most social media channels, using them wisely and effectively can provide excellent opportunities to connect with many existing and new stakeholders and supporters for your Natura 2000 site. Social media however can also bring challenges and like any communication tool it requires careful planning. Take your first steps on managing online tools with the extract from the manual "Effective Communication".

How To Design Your Website As Effective Marketing Tool, 10 tips to make your website your best marketing tool and The 5 Best Ways to Get Free Website Promotion, don’t you want to look at these web articles we selected for you?

Get inspired by a Social Media best practices guide and learn the Code of conduct for social media, by Communications Council.
Learn how to plan and work with the Social Media toolkit.
Which tools should I put my effort into? With this non-profit media decision guide - you will soon know!
And take a look on this slide share presentation that tells you 20 ways to upgrade your social media marketing. Link

Why should you send newsletters? And what is the difference between them and social media? Read this web articles we selected for you.
Email marketing field guide by Mailchimp.com, one of the most valuable resources for you to send beautiful newsletters. Link

Making Natura 2000 sites accessible

A walk along Mam Tor from Edale: A video about walks in the Peak District National Park, UK Link and a blog about its routes Link
Paws on the Moors, online interpretation about responsible dog ownership on Peak District Moorlands.Link

Storytelling

Have you heard about storytelling? Did you know the most effective campaigns are the ones who really touch your audiences’ emotions? How to make them feel what you are telling? Learn some great tips with the web articles we have choosen for you: Good storytelling, a blogpost by Deloitte digital, and Storytelling for action conservation, written by Froagleaps.org where and you can even find a training course Link

Facilitating meetings and workshops

Good techniques to make your meetings productive, participative, friendly, cooperative... and fun!
How to reach consensus? The process of consensus involves getting people with different points of view to start seeing things in a similar way, or at least to begin narrowing their different perspectives. Read this article from Seeds of Change.
One way to learn facilitation skills is to observe and analyse what is happening in one’s group. All of us have spent a good part of our lives in groups of various sorts, but rarely have we taken time to stop and observe what is going on in the group, and ask why the members are behaving the way they are. The following list include some of the aspects you should pay attention to any group.

Running a successful event is all about a precise, clear and effective planification. Learn how to do it with this web article and with this document that also emphasis on ‘good practices’ for planners.

Why is it important for organizations to work together? What are the different ways that organizations can work together? How do we choose among relationships? What are some of the challenges that organizations confront when they are working together? How do groups begin to build organizational relationships with each other?

- 9 Best Practices for Getting Press Coverage: Some successful tips and getting press coverage from an Executive Editor of Web Digest for Marketers. Link

- Good storytelling: 4 keys to successful campaigns: Digital marketing has a lot of new opportunities for audience engagement. But in the end, success usually comes back to good storytelling. Here are some helpful tips. Link

- Europarc: The EUROPARC Federation is the network for Europe’s natural and cultural heritage and the representative body of Europe’s Protected Areas. EUROPARC Federation is dedicated to practical nature conservation and sustainable development of Europe’s biodiversity, fostering holistic landscape approaches in its management. Link

- Green Spider Network: The Green Spider Network (GSN) is a network of heads of communication and information officers from environment ministries and national environmental agencies across Europe. The network was established in 1995 by the European Commission. Sharing best practice is one of the main objectives of the Green Spider Network. Various initiatives taken to support this goal and examples of good environmental communication are collected here

Ramsar Convention: The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

- Series of inspirational talks: A series of talks that inspire. The idea is a simple one, that people who Do things can inspire the rest of us to go and Do things, too. So each year we invite a set of people down here to come and tell us what they do. They can be small Do’s or big Do’s or just extraordinary Do’s. Link

- TRANSFER OF TRAINING: MOVING BEYOND THE BARRIERS A new model helps promote training transfer to the workplace. Link

- Knowledge sharing - Methods, Meeting Places and Tools: Presents a selection of easy ways to help you have better access to the knowledge you need to do your work. We invite you to step outside your usual routine and engage in the cross-fertilization of ideas with your peers. The methods described here are simple to use and can easily be built into the way you work. Many of you may well work this way already without calling it ‘knowledge sharing’. These tried and true processes will help you in your search for fresh, creative solutions to the challenges you face every day. Link

- United for Wildlife: free online course for Wildlife Conservation: Learn more about key issues within conservation, gain awareness of the problems facing us, and discover what you can do to help. This free course is suitable for anyone interested in wildlife and the environment. Link

- Exmoor National Park - one of Britain’s breathing places: Here’s a fantastic short film introducing the fabulous Exmoor National Park. The film was produced for the Audio Visual Theatre in the Lynmouth Pavilion National Park Centre. Link